Signboard engaging means



A118- 24. 1965 R. l.. CARLETON 3,201,841

SIGNBOARD ENGAGING MEANS Filed May 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l l aw'ilHm 20d BY Z 47m/wrs.

Aug. 24, 1965 R. l.. CARLETQN 3,201,841

SIGNBOARD ENGAGING MEANS Filed May 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 agen/5v5.

United States Patent O 3,291,841 SEGNEA ENGAGING MEANS Richard L. Carleton, Raytown, Mo., assignor to Entier Manufacturing Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed May 13, 1963, Ser. No. 279,772 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-243) ability to return from deformation due to wind load forces, ditliculty in application, as well as excessive time consumption in same, excessive expense, requirement of structural engagement with the panels themselves which is complicating in many ways, an excessive number of attaching means required per panel and I-beam, and the like.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide new types of attachment means for signboard paneis for engagement of same with the flanges of supporting posts.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, easily and quickly applied attachments for horizontally oriented panels in attachment of same to flanged posts, wherein a minimum number of men and minimum level of skill is required in attachment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easily produced, extremely cheap, very rugged and long lived attachment for horizontal panels to vertical support ilanges.

Another object of the invention is to provide signboard attachments for connecting horizontal, flanged panels to flanged posts wherein the connection is extraordinarily rugged, withstands with ease wind loads far beyond those handled by previous designs and wherein the attachment means themselves are sutliciently resilient to return from any deformation thereof under extraordinary wind loads.

Another object of the invention is to provide connecting means for signboard panels to flanged posts wherein no actual structural connection with either the post or the panel is employed whereby to minimize attachment and detachment effort and time.

Another object of the invention is to provide panel attachment means for attaching panels to flanged posts wherein single panels in a panel array attached by same may be removed without removing the rest of the panels or their attachment means.

yAnother object of the invention is to provide a signboard construction including elongate horizontal flanged panels, flanged supports or posts and unique means for connecting same, the entire assembly being very much cheaper than the cost of like aluminum extruded signs.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the follow-ing description thereof.

In the drawings, which form a part of the instant speciication and are to be read in conjunction therewith, embodiments of the invention are shown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed to indicate like parts.

FIG. l is a fragmentary rear view of a sign assembly comprising vertical flanged posts .and horizontal panel members, the rear ilange of the post removed and porice tions of the web and front ange thereof partially cut away to better illustrate he consrucion tof the panels, their engagement with one another and the method of engagement of the connecting means between the panels and I-beam flange.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section, looking down, of a signboard assembly comprising a flanged post (only the front flange and part of the web thereof showing), horizontally oriented flanged panels (partially Acut away in several places to better illustrate the structure involved) and means connecting the panels to the front post ange, the means of FIG. l shown.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial or fragmentary rear elevation of a signboard assembly showing horizontally oriented panels connected to a flange of a post by the connecting means of FIGS. l and 2.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a three-quarter perspective view from behind and slightly below of a signboard assembly comprising horizontally oriented panels clipped to the front llange of vertically flanged posts by a second form of connecting means to that shown in FIGS. 1 4, inclusive.

FIG. 6 is a view of the FIG. 5 structure like that of FIG. 2, namely, a horizontal section looking down with parts cut away for clarification.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting means of FIGS. 5 and 6.

As previously mentioned, there are two forms of connecting means shown in the drawings. These will be separately described.

The simplest form of connecting means is shown in FIGS. 5-7, inclusive, and thus will be -tirst described.

Referring then to FIGS. 5-7, inclusive, at 10 and 11 are generally designated two flanged posts (here I-beams) having rear flanges 10a and 11a, webs 10b and 11b and front flanges 10c and 11C. To be employed therewith are a plurality of elongate panels here generally designated 12-15, inclusive, each having (in the orientation shown in FIG. 5) upper rearwardly extending llanges 12a-15a, inclusive, and lower rearwardly extending ilanges 12b-Mb, inclusive. Each of the flanges 126145551, inclusive, has an inwardly oriented rearmost ange 12a- 15a, inclusive, and each of the anges 12b-14h, inclusive, has inwardly extending rearmost anges 12H-11th, inelusive. Flanges 12a-15a, inclusive, and 12b-14h, inclusive, extend normal to the front panel or faces of the panels, while the primed flanges extend parallel thereto. The front faces or working faces of the panels are 'designated 12e-15e, inclusive.

Referring to FIG. 7, therein is shown, in exploded View, the elements ofthe connecting means now to be described. A lrear'most arcuate segment is provided generally designated 16 and has two forward gripping edges 16a and 1612 which preferably derive from the edges of a normally at piece which is formed or curved in cross section in the manner shown to form the sectionally arcuate piece 16. A slotted opening 16C is provided centrally of member 16 with the slot extending horizontally on the arcuate surface of member 16. Slot 16C permits member 16 to accommodate a variety of flange thicknesses with an optimum t, as well as permit lateral adjustment.

A front engaging member, normally horizontally oriented, is generally designated 17 and has upper and lower gripping edges 17a and 17b in working orientation, these edges being preferably derived from the end edges of a normally flat piece which is curved or formed in cross section to form the arcuate section piece seen. Member 17 is of greater length than the arcuate width of member 16. A circular opening 17e is formed centrally of member 17. The means for connecting members 16 and 17 comprise an 4elongate bolt. generally 'designated 18'havit1'g enlarged headr18a, a portion V18]: of the shaft thereof.l

preferably nonthreaded, withV free end 18c`4 thereof threaded. 5 Washer 19A and nut 20 are provided to encircle.l

and threadedly engage shaft Vportion 18crof bolt 18. f

The preferred Vmanner of engagement of the connecting means is "seen most clearlyin FIG. 6 wher'ein a pair of members 16 and 16 (in one set of the connecting means, vall of the numbers are the same as in FIG. 7, but primed),

engage with one engaging edge 16bV and 16a' of each theV rear face =ofthe I-beam post front flangek 11C, while the other engaging edges 16a and -16b` engage one offthe upper inwardly extending flanges 12d-15a', inclusive, here designated'13a for a specific example. The upper engaging edges 17a and 17a of members 17 and 17 engage the inner surface of ange 13a and pin it against the outer face of flange 11e.

gagement as edges 16b and 16a" continuously engage, along their entire length, the inner or rear face of the flange 11c. Y This is best seen in FIG. 5.,Y 1

Y v The lower portions of the le'dgeslta-andlb engage ythe lower edges v171) and 17b' of the members 17 and 17 whereby Vtomake astable Ven-V Thesiz'eA of hole 17e Yis merely large enough for bolt vshaft 18-cfandf18b to slide veasily therethrough, while slot 16clisof suficient length to permit somelateral adjustment of the members 16 or 16 to an optimum t in :the

members 171or (17', as wellas; flange 13a.

In assembling the sign of FIG. A5, either a YsingleV set lof, connecting members may be employed engaging alternate- 1y theanges 11e and 10c (when singley sets of connecting members are used, theyare alternated from one side of Y 4the flange -to the other to avoid eccentricity, ratherY than all on one Aside ofthe flange) or, if excessive Wind loads vare expected, a set may be employed on each lside of each of the a'nges 11'c`randr10c,as seenin FIG. v6,0n flange 11e. Whichever arrangement is employed, inthe assembly'of the individual sign'panel sections on posts; illlrand' `ill, the lower and upper abutting flanges of adjacent panels `(in. horizontal orientation) are preferably bolted to one another as vbest seen in the other' modication (FIGS. 2

and 4).? As this detail will beV described with respectito `illustrated' engagements with the I-beam post ilangeand in flanges 2Gb and 21a, as seen at 22. TheeI-beam post shown has ya front flange 23a to which the panels are connected and a Web. 23h, the post itself generally designated 23. o

The meansconnecting the VI-beam post and the panels comprise, Vfirst, an elongate arcuate member generally designated 24 having'engaging edges'24a and 24b, the latter preferablyV derived fromvthe arcuate forming yof a normally rectangular flatl piece. Member 24`is necessarily greater inrlength than the widthV of'front flange 23a of I-beam V23 whereby to span same and extend at least a limited distance on each sidefthereof as seen'in` FIG. 2. Members 24 extend horizontally-,and have horizontally slotted openings 24c`and 24e' (not seen) therein to receive thebolt engagement -to be described. The purpose of the slots in m`embersw24r and 25"is to accommodate a -trallyv thereof whereby to'receivea shaftv 26a of a bolt 26', the threaded free end of which'is engaged by rwasher 27 andnut28 inthe caseof the bolt seen Vengaging members 24 and V25. -Washers are preferably employed wherever thereare slots. AThis would be at both bolt head andi nuton double sets,Vv and at nut only on 'single sets.

thatfmodication, it will notl .be repeatedjhere. Atfany,V

rate, upper: panel V12 is preferablyrst set in place and clipped onthe I-beam Vor other flanged postang'eslc and 11c.1 The other panelsare then bolted'together` in a group andthereafter assembled on the I-beam posts as a unit. This assembly is then bolted to the top panel, andY Vthe lower panelsare clipped to the upright.

The procedure describedrinY the preceding vpalliag'raiph recommended Whereassembly isfat the jobsite. It is also `Referring to the'construction shown in 'possiblev to preassemble the sign. in ashop, transportingl FIGS. 1 1*-4, in-

elusive, the :prime difference in this constructionvfrom ,thatA shownin FIGS. 5-7,finclusive,flies"in the provision of an elongate frontal engaging memberfwhich extends across the entire front faceof the-I-beam'front flange andis engagedat each end thereof by an `arcuate Amember each in the'mannerV of arcuate fmembersrl, and 16. Thus, there isa single frontal engaging member 'with a `continuous .engagement along the upper panel flange withradual en- Theengagement of the members comprise an engage`- ment byedge 24b of member-24 of flange 21a valong its entire length forcing same against the outer face of the I-beam ange' 23a,v withllowerfedge 24a' thereofconltinuously 5 .engaging -kthel Y front surface of? I-beam 1 Y flange 23a along the entire width-thereof. Edge 24ans also engaged by engaging edges 25a` and 25b"of members 25 and 25'; Y VEdgesv 25b and 25a of-m'ernbers 25 and 25 engage the Irear face of'ange 23a'along their entire length,vwith the upper portionof edges 25a and-ZSb' engaging flange 21a and pinning same against edge 24h,

the lower portion thereof engaging edge 24a of member 24.

In operatiornftheV assembly, of the panels may be `accomplished as Vin FIGLVSY, with upper panel 20 rstrengaged inplace at its'upper 'edge by4 the'engaging means on the front flange of theI-beam post, thellower panels .(21, et seq.) thenbolted together'and vthence bolted -to fthe lower flange'of. the upper panel. 'Same are engaged gagementthereof latfits endsby two rearward Varcuate.l

`members. `This relationship is most yclearly-seen in FIG.

2 in comparison with FIG. 6.

In the views of FIGSI 1-4, inclusive, there are seen only two'horizontal panelmembers; 20 fand 21 having` `upperrearwardly extending flanges 20a and 21a, same having attached thereto inwardly extending rearwardmost AV lower rearwardly extending tending rearmost flange 20b' lixed thereto. These panels to the front ange by other engaging .means later. Howiever, there. is one'. difference` `between the twoVA forms in that bothv rear membersljof the engaging assemblyof FIGS. l-4 must be employed; rather than there being the option of a singleside edge engagement ofthe I- beam front flange as is,y present-v in Vthe fmodication of FIGS. i5-7, inclusive.i f l' t o From the foregoing it will bel seen-that this invention is Yone well adapted to attain all of the'ends,` and objects hereinabove set forth together.with-fotherV advantages which are obvious and whichioare inherent to thestructure.

' It will be understood thatr'ce'rtain," features* and subcombinations are Yof 'utility andm'ay'be employed without. referenceto other features and vsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and 'islwithin `the scope of the claims;

As many possible 'embodiments maybe made of the invention withoutdeparting frorn'the scope thereof, it

' Vis to be understood that all matter herein `set`forth or are similar in con'figuration'to panels 12C-15C', inclusive.

,The panels, as previously noted, are bolted together by bolts extending through corresponding openings (not seen) shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and notA in a'limiting sense.

' Having thus described myinvention, I claim:

1. An 'engaging assembly comprising a first member arcuate in crossV section alongone dimension thereof',. a second member arcuate in cross seetQn. along one.l

dimension thereof, each member of such length along its said dimension as to span the width of the other member, said members comprising each a at, substantially rectangular piece also rectangular in transverse and longitudinal section, said piece formed into arcuate section along one dimension thereof whereby to provide engaging edges thereon and means removably coupling the members together whereby they engage one another and an object therebetween in an orientation thereof at right angles to one another along said dimensions.

2. An assembly as in claim 1 wherein each member has a line edge on the engaging edges thereof.

3. A11 assembly as in claim 1 wherein said members are of equal leng-th and also equal width.

4. An engaging assembly comprising a substantially rectangular iirst member arcuate in cross section along one dimension thereof, substantially rectangular second and third members each arcuate in cross section along one dimension thereof, each of the second and third members of such length along its said dimension as to span the width of the said first member, said first member of such length along its said dimension as to exceed the width, combined, of the second and third members, said members comprising each a at, substantially rectangular piece also rectangular in transverse longitudinal section, said piece formed into arcuate section along one dimension thereof whereby to provide engaging edges thereon, and means removably coupling the second and third members to the lirst member, spaced therealong, whereby they engage said lirst member and any object therebetween in an orientation thereof at right angles to said irst member along said dimensions.

5. An assembly as in claim 4 wherein each member has a line edge on the engaging edges thereof.

6. An assembly as in claim 4 wherein said second and third members are of equal length and width.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 327,717 10/85 Phillips 256--69 497,679 5/93 Newbury. 515,836 3/ 94 Mueller. 1,789,849 1/31 Speck 189-35 X 1,797,214 3/31 Mayer et al. 2,130,546 9/38 Hovey 189-35 2,720,290 10/55 Henrickson 189-35 X 2,930,665 3/610 Budai 189-35 X o DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ENGAGING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FIRST MEMBER ARCURATE IN CROSS SECTION ALONG ONE DIMENSION THEREOF, A SECOND MEMBER ARCURATE IN CROSS SECTION ALONG ONE DIMENSION THEREOF, EACH MEMBER OF SUCH LENGTH ALONG ITS SAID DIMENSION AS TO SPAN THE WIDTH OF THE OTHER MEMBER, SAID MEMBERS COMPRISING EACH A FLAT, SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR PIECE ALSO RECTANGULAR IN TRANSVERSE AND LONGITUDINAL SECTION, SAID PIECE FORMED INTO ARCURATE SECTION ALONG ONE DIMENSION THEREOF WHEREBY TO PROVIDE ENGAGING EDGES THEREON AND MEANS REMOVABLY COUPLING THE MEMBERS TOGETHER WHEREBY THEY ENGAGE ONE ANOTHE AND AN OBJECT THEREBETWEEN IN AN ORIENTATION THEREOF AT RIGHT ANGLES TO ONE ANOTHER ALONG SAID DIMENSIONS. 